Excavation work complete on Middle East longest tunnel

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has completed the excavation work on the Middle East's longest tunnel (1.8-kilometre tunnel). It was tunnelled through difficult geological conditions with softer blasts, Rail Journal said.

Etihad Rail had awarded a Dh4.6 billion tender for the civil works in December 2019 and construction of Package D of Stage Two of the UAE's national railway.

Etihad Rail had earlier awarded contracts for the design and build of Package A to a joint venture between the China State Construction Engineering Corporation and South Korea's SK Engineering and Construction. Packages B and C were awarded to a joint venture between the China Railway Construction Corporation and the Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting Company.

The 145-kilometre Package D includes the construction of 15 tunnels through the Hajar Mountains. The tunnels boast a total length of 16 kilometres, in addition to the construction of 35 bridges and 32 underpasses. This will connect Fujairah and Khorfakkan ports with a rail network at the Dubai-Sharjah border.

This came as part of the company's mandate to establish a 1,200 km national railway network, which will also form an integral part of the proposed GCC Railway.